Famoso Traditional Neapolitan Pizza Impresses in the Annex

There are delicious moments and then there are delicious moments you will never forget...Pizza is one such moment.

Ever since I was a young kid growing up in Mississauga, my parents have always tried to put their spin on western food. One food that I enjoyed was pizza a la my parents…thick and gooey good. It wasn’t a totally typical Italian pizza but I loved it. Time passed and my taste buds have grown up, matured and my love for pizza has just kept on growing!  Throughout my university years it was what my roommates and I lived on...just picturing the mountains of pizza boxes!

Fast forward, as I went through culinary school and experienced different cuisines from all over the world I learned the basics of how to make great pizza. I even worked at a traditional pizzeria for a time and really learned the importance of the crust, simplicity of toppings and the tradition behind pizza. My work experience opened my eyes to the culinary world of Italy and inspired me to travel. Having been to Venice, Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento and Naples…I can honestly say I have a pretty good idea what real traditional pizza tastes like and I love it.   

You would imagine that living in Toronto, with its large Italian population finding traditional pizza like back in the old country would be simple. You would be wrong.  There are so many differing opinions on what makes a good pizza is as there are stars in the sky.  The latest addition to challenge for best pizza in Toronto opened in The Annex and is called Famoso. On a recent visit to this new restaurant that emphasizes tradition, adherence to quality traditional ingredients and great taste it delivers on almost all counts.

As the story goes for how Famoso came to be:

“Years ago, on a trip to Naples, we were introduced to the taste of true Neapolitan pizza and the classic pizzeria. It awakened our pizza taste buds and we just knew we had to share this with our friends and family back home...at Famoso, our version is inspired by Neapolitan pizza in its truest form, using Caputo ‘00’ flour, imported Campania tomatoes, fresh basil, fior-di-latte, and a fire roasting bell-shaped oven.” 

Justin, Jason & Christian, Founders of Famoso

As the evening began, we were introduced to a unique way to order, we were instructed to seat ourselves, menus available on the table and when ready asked to order at a central counter.  This is a pretty brilliant method to ordering, it ensures speedy service, I can see this being a hit with the hectic lunch crowds. Your order is brought to your table and any follow-up is via the server. This was a new way to do things and I liked it.

We started our meal with a few drinks an Aperol Spritz, Lemoncello Martini and a lovely Mojito.

 

Then our starters came from our server and we were immediately impressed with the selection.  We received an order of Roasted Kalamata Olives, lovely marinated kalamata olives garnished with oregano, feta and chilies. What surprised us was what a punch of flavour is created with the simple action of roasting them and serving them warm. The flatbread was stellar, seasoned and warm and oh so good!

We ordered a series of salads and they were fresh, flavourful and generous. We ordered a traditional Caesar salad with prosciutto crisps instead of bacon. This we liked. We also ordered a Gorgonzola Walnut Salad and one of their signature salads the Blackberry Arugula Salad. As with the Caesar we liked all of their offerings and would most definitely order any one of them again.

As with many restaurants that I visit I look for that one standout appetizer that is a must have. At Famoso, I highly recommend the Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella Balls. These little tasty bits are perfect for sharing with your dinner guests.  Fresh mozzarella wrapped with prosciutto, baked in Campania tomato sauce, fresh basil and pecorino romano cheese served with warm flat bread! If you love gooey cheese and the salty goodness of prosciutto you gotta have this. Divine!

Now, getting down to the business of things…the pizza. This is after all why we are all here.  The menu is broken into two principle categories Traditional and New World. Yes, I know that they emphasize tradition…you wonder why they would offer New World Pizza? A purists would shudder and even turn their back to even the remote suggestion of anything not tradition…I’m not certain, all I can think is that they are trying to satisfy a world of tastes of all kinds.  Sometimes, traditional pizza with its minimal ingredients doesn’t compute with more western tastes.  But I digress…on to what we ordered that night.

We ordered a Funghi Tartufo a beautiful pizza consisting of roasted white mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, white truffle oil, reggiano parmesan over a beautiful tangy non-cooked tomato sauce. The sauce is perfect, simple, full of flavour and authentic. The mushrooms are earthy and tasty, I love mushrooms on pizza.

Next, we ordered what I consider the ultimate test for any pizzeria that boasts that they are the best…The Margherita.  A traditional pizza named after Queen Margherita of Italy in 1889. It is in its simplicity that makes this a challenge. Fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, pecorino romano and extra virgin olive oil. That’s it…no spicy sausage, no pineapple or grilled chicken. Simplicity, simply beautiful. You can really tell the quality of the ingredients, the tomato sauce is excellent, the mozzarella is stringy and gooey, the pecorino provides a bit of a salty bite making this pizza a good rendition. Not excellent but good. I would have preferred the crust to have been baked just a touch longer. There was a bit of disappointment in the level of sogginess in the centre and I believe that the basil was baked on top of the pizza as opposed to how it should have been just added on its way to the table. But it was tasty and good. The quality of the ingredients stood out, it is only in the execution that I feel that the kitchen will have to tweak. 

The last pizza we tried was one that sparked all of our interest; it falls into the New World pizza category. It was very popular amongst many that were noshing down on delicious pizza and drinks. The San Andreas is a Californian inspired pizza. Bianca sauce (white sauce), fresh mozzarella, and chili-lime marinated roasted chicken. Baked, then topped with fresh avocado slices, diced roma tomatoes, diced onion, cilantro, and drizzled with light cream. It was in a word delicious! The traditional thin crust made with the ‘00’ flour blends well with the new world ingredients to make for one very tasty pizza. This was a winner. I will order this again in a heartbeat. 

 As our pizzas were devoured our thoughts turned to something sweet to finish our meals. We ordered a series of desserts that I will have to say flat out…wonderful and delectable each and every taste. This came as a surprise but a very welcomed one indeed! We ordered ALMOST the whole dessert menu one item after the other…it was just that good!

The Dolce & Banana was one that is very easy to share – oven roasted bananas coated in caramelized brown sugar, crushed pecans, caramel sauce and vanilla bean gelato. This was a fun dessert to breakdown and share. It almost boarders on being too big for one. Loved it!

Nutella pizza was up next, this was flying out of the kitchen and was very happily devoured by the guests in the resto. Simply it is their awesome pizza crust that is smothered in Nutella, folded calzone style and served with whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. This was mind blowing good enough to share but I wouldn’t want to in the future, I love it that much!

We finished with an Affogato this was such great goodness in a cup! A shot of espresso on top of a scoop of gelato sounds simple…it is…but very delicious. I crave this now always.

There are two locations for Famoso in the GTA area please check their website for other locations.

Famoso – The Annex

386 Bloor Street West,

Toronto, ON

M5S 1X9

www.famoso.ca

Twitter @FamosoPizzeria

Facebook@FamosoPizzeria

The Pioneers of the Not So Humble Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese sandwiches are a big deal in Toronto. A VERY BIG deal! Trust me, I know. You see it when people are willing to attend a Food Truck Event, pay for parking and wait in line for over 2 hours for a grilled cheese sandwich, ya know we’re all crazy for grilled cheese! Today is a special day for us here at baguettes and butterscotch. We are extremely pleased to have an opportunity to do a Q & A with the pioneers of the grilled cheese revolution in Toronto.

Kevin and Tom from Cheesewerks are going to be giving us an inside look at what's going on in the world of grilled cheese, local sourced ingredients, local producers/suppliers, and the trials and tribulations of opening their first and if I dare say it not their last Cheesewerks restaurant.

They have a great story and who better to tell it than the creators themselves. This should be cheese-tastic! Without further adieu...here are the men bearing the flag for Grilled Cheese taken to another level...Kevin and Tom! 

1. Where did you get your interest into the world of hospitality/culinary? Who in your life influenced/inspired your passion for food?

When I was 13, my Mom (Audrey) came home from her job as head cashier at our local A&P to announce to the family – that she had told them to take their job and shove it.  She was tired of working for someone else and wanted to follow her passion of making and serving great food.

My parents turned half our basement into an industrial kitchen where my mom started an “artisan” bakery before marketing people had even invented the word.  She made everything from scratch- all of it – pies, baked goods, muffins, squares, cookies and I was her wee sous chef. In 1988, she purchased “The Courtyard Tea Room” in Perth and it ran for 18 wonderful seasons. She was a fixture in Perth, everyone knew her and the Tea Room - cottage goers, locals, and families passing through made pilgrimage to mom’s place – especially for her pies.

With Tom, he comes from a large Asian extended family which means that every get together had no less than 30 people and loads of food.  His family is enriched with diversity with uncles and cousins from Jamaica; brother in law from Antigua.  This of course means every family occasion is filled with all types of cuisine from ox-tail to papaya salad & sticky rice to roti to pho noodle soup.  Growing up with this melting pot has turned him into a foodie.

In 2005, my Mom retired and was diagnosed with lung cancer two years later.  She passed away a short 45 days after that.

It stopped both Tom and I cold.  Our daughter Taylor was 4 at the time, and with such a big shake up – we decided we wanted to build our own “family business” and that would most certainly be surrounded around food.

2. After a long hard day of work, what do you gravitate to for sustenance? Where do you like to go and eat?

Tom – At the end of the day I’m all about comfort food.  I love meatloaf, casserole…trucker food.  But what I love and crave the most is Pho from scratch. It was a 2 day affair to get the stock just right.  I remember growing up and my Mom making it almost once a month or at my request. I always looked forward to having it for dinner, lunch and dinner the next day and beyond…mmmm.

Kevin – I’m a sucker for some good chicken.  Roasted or fried – it doesn’t matter - it’s what I crave when I want comfort food. But when we go out, I tend to carve two things good Chinese or good Deli.

3. Since opening Cheesewerks, how have you seen your dream grow and progress? Has it gone all according to plan? Explain Good surprises and Bad surprises.

CHEESEWERKS has been amazing.  The reaction has been incredible, customers love our food and we’re really starting to hit our groove.  We’ve only been open for 6-months so it’s impossible to predict the future but so far so good!

We haven’t had any bad surprises really; we do know that Toronto doesn’t like the idea of paying for ketchup.  Even if it is house-made and local... LOL.  But as for good surprises, being featured in Food + Drink magazine was an amazing highlight.  It’s my go-to foodie bible and to featured only 4 months after being open – that was pretty cool.

 

4. I can see that you have a very popular following on social media has this been a help or a hindrance in spreading the good word about Grilled Cheese? What would you like to say to all your Cheesewerks fans?

THANK YOU of course!  We love our fans and supporters. We really tried to build a brand and community before we opened.  It totally worked.  The initial following allowed us to test recipes, receive feedback and garner buzz before we even opened our doors.  Invaluable powerful information and insights can be garnered for a new business via social media.

5. Artisan locally sourced produce was a key message that I heard from you during tastings. Can you highlight some of your fave suppliers and why you work with them?

Being 100% family-owned and operated is being local. J  And to take that first, yes we support 100% Canadian vendors and suppliers.  As you can imagine, with a place called CHEESEWERKS know for our “Legend Dairy” Grilled Cheese – two ingredients were paramount…Cheese and fantastic Bread!  Our signature bread partner is St. John’s Bakery.  Their artisan sourdoughs are just incredible and they also produce our two signature breads from our recipes – our Cracked Peppercorn Sourdough and our Green Onion Potato bread.  With bread figured out Cheese, was next.  We support a number of producers, but all of our Cheese is 100% Canadian, artisan where possible and with no milk modified ingredients.  We love the product from Bothwell, Upper Canada Cheese Co., Glengarry Fine Cheese, Best Baa and others.  They are all incredible products and great people to source from.

6. There is grilled cheese and then there is Cheesewerks Grilled cheese. What sets you apart from the rest?

We’re flattered – thanks.  It might sound corny but we believe what sets us apart from others is that we have a story behind every recipe, every ingredient, we use real Cheese, real Butter, real food.  There is also a story behind our creations. Lastly, we have an overwhelming love for great food! It makes a difference, you can really taste it!

7. Who develops your sandwiches? Where do you get your inspiration from?

We don’t have an executive chef or a big production test kitchen someplace.  We get inspiration from our travels around the corner and around the world. We live to eat and travel.  Those great meals and great culinary travels bring our menu to life. Take our HOUSTON Grilled Cheese.  Houston was the first place we had a family-vacation with Taylor.  Tons of memories, tons of great meals.  So we took that inspiration and started to braise our own beef brisket, house-made BBQ sauce, a bit of Texas – right here in Toronto.  Same for our BEIJING Grilled Cheese.  People thought we were crazy making a cheese-centric Chinese item.  But when you taste the Asiago, with the BBQ Pork, slivered green onions, Hoisin grilled on our signature Green Onion Potato bread.  It will change you.  It’s so good.  And that Grilled Cheese was inspired because we got married in 2008 and spent our honeymoon at the Olympics in Beijing.

8. What’s next for Cheesewerks?

We just expanded our menu to include Mac + Cheese.  We had been serving it as a some-what regular special, but our fans and customers wanted it every day. So we added it.  Now you can order any of CW cities as a Grilled Cheese or Mac + Cheese.  And again – all house-made.

Bigger picture, we’re starting to look at ideas and plans for expansion.  We have a couple ideas in the works.  You’ll have to chat with us in a few months for the details. J 

9. I understand that you do events and catering. How did this come about and what projects have you been involved with?

Events and catering are two huge revenue opportunities for a new business.  Not every customer can come to you – so we built a robust infrastructure to manage a lot of special, private and corporate events.  Plus, catering is fun, it gets you out of the restaurant – thinking on your feet and meeting tons of new people.  It’s tremendous business builder for us.

10. Lastly, If you had to pick a favourite sandwich, drink and side combo – which would each of you pick and tell us why!

Tom - I’ve always loved the Beijing. And to boot, I’ll usually add bacon to it.  I also love the rustic herb tomato soup with a cold glass of sweet tea.

Kevin - I love how our flavour combinations are becoming a signature of the shop and how easily they transferred to our new Mac + Cheese.  So me, I’d switch from a Grilled Cheese and order a CHARLESTON Mac + Cheese, sparkling lemonade with a spike of gin, with a ginger molasses cookie. Comfort, accessible and delicious.

I'd like to thank the guys for taking the time to give us foodies an inside look at to the development, growth and future of Cheesewerks and in the grander scheme of things grilled cheese in Toronto. 

You can find them at:

Cheesewerks

56 Bathurst St.,

Toronto, ON,

M5V 2P7 

416.243.3327

www.cheesewerks.com

Twitter @cheesewerks

Facebook find Cheesewerks

EL TROMPO - A Kensington Market Gem!

Tacos, tacos and even more tacos. The phenomenon of food trucks and remarkable little establishments such as El Trompo have revitalized Toronto's taste buds for this simple yet delicious street food. I visited this little hole in the wall based upon the recommendation of Suresh Doss of Spotlight Toronto and Food Truck Eats fame. I will forever be in his debt for sharing this little place with me. The service was snappy in a good way. The food was awesome and re-ignited my interest and love of Mexican food that I had only not too recently lost.

Guacamole

Let me explain. In my travels, I have been to LA and I have even vacationed in Mexico and to be honest was not impressed with the flavours or lack thereof in the food. LA street markets and even haute cuisine restaurants all seemed to fall flat. Leaving my taste buds unimpressed. Now after visiting, El Trompo will forever be my first pick to satisfy my Mexican food cravings. I am reborn and truly excited with the food that they are creating. Take a look at these photos and I challenge you to disagree! El Trompo rocks...that is all. The best Mexican Taquitos in Toronto hands down.

Al Pastor

The Al Pastor is their specialty, it is a Mexican city inspired style taco. Pork and meat marinated in the traditional sauce. Served on a corn tortilla, coriander, onion and pineapple. Sweet, savory and spicy and very good eats!

 

Salsa and Nachos

Chorizo Tacos

They use their home made Mexican sausage to stuff these corn tortillas. Served with coriander, onion and lime. These went down very well! With either of the above choices you could not go wrong.

Churros! Only available on Saturday and Sunday

I was truly impressed with the great flavours of the food that they are cooking at El Trompo. The staff was brilliant and very friendly. They were all very proud of the food they produced.  I loved it.  If I had to make a suggestion. Go for the Tacos, they are stellar. The Guacamole was nice but a little out of line on price. The Salsa and Nachos were ordinary. I would grab another plate of tacos rather than going for an appetizer. That's my feeling anyways. Also, a note this place is almost always busy and sometimes you may have to wait. Patience...this place is worth it.

El Trompo

277 Augusta Avenue,

Toronto, ON

M5T 2M1

416.260.0097

www.eltrompo.ca

In searching for memories of cucina della nonna, we visit Briscola restaurant

To say the competition for food dominance in Little Italy is cutt-throat is an understatement.  Rising from the ashes of Cinq 01, the newly formed partnership between Ink Entertainment’s Charles Khabouth and Amber’s Toufik Sarwa have combined like a phoenix rising from the ashes to form Briscola restaurant. At its helm, an up and coming Chef Sean Reeve takes us on a journey of good hearty Italian cuisine. I can say with confidence that there is a new contender and others should take notice. 

The atmosphere has a bistro meets lounge feel. The music keeps the good vibes going throughout the evening. If I closed my eyes, I would swear that it was just like being at home, chilling, listening to my own music collection.  What can I say? Great minds and all…

The menu relies on traditional Italian favourites borrowing from classic comfort food “nonna” style, but with a few twists. Nothing on the menu seems out of place, and there is something to satisfy most if not all tastes.

Katie, our server, was the consummate professional, cheerful and knowledgeable when it came to the menu and ingredients. She gave us great recommendations, and steered us through a wonderful meal. A big thanks goes to Katie!

Now let’s get to the food... The burrata with oven scorched tomatoes and aged balsamic (think mozzarella taken to the extreme)  was up to bat first, and it hit a home run on the first pitch.  The burrata’s delicate flavour accompanied by the sweet scorched tomatoes and lightly dressed arugula help to propel this dish and made it a star. This is a dish worth ordering again - it’s really that good! The arugula was perfectly dressed. They use their own olive oil and balsamic vinegar throughout the menu and happily you can purchase some as a small take away memory of a good meal eaten. This salad wipes away bad memories or poorly executed traditional caprese salads that I have had the unfortunate luck of experiencing, I just loved it!

The fried olives with orange zest and parsley were up next. They came in a small shallow frying pan to enhance the rustic feel to the meal. The coating is technically perfect. It did not fall off or crumble as I half expected it would. The olives had a wonderful textural contrast that is highly addicting. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself subconsciously picking at them and popping them one, two even three at a time. The fried olives are truly a great accompaniment to any dinner or just to have with a drink at the bar.

              

The tagliere del salumiere was served with homemade accompaniments and we asked for a bit of cheese into the mix. A traditional cheese plate is available in the desserts menu.  Upon request you can order it at the start of your meal. The cured meats included organic pancetta from Niagara, bresaola, coppa and salami. The cheese on the plate varied in texture and taste, today’s selection included a beautiful tiger blue, a goat’s milk triple cream brie and traditional Grana Padano. The homemade preserves - blackened honey, berry compote and macerated figs – made the dish unique and they paired perfectly with the cured meat and cheese selections. I must admit that I was a bit disappointed to learn that there meats are not cured in house. However, they are purchased faithfully from local vendors and from Italy. I am happy to hear that they are hung and dried in house for an extended period to intensify the flavours of the meat. Chef Reeve knows his charcuterie. The question will be asked, how did this charcuterie platter compare to the greats in Toronto? I would say it’s worth enjoying, there is care and thought put into the pairings and the homemade accompaniments make this unique to Briscola.

Tagliere del salumiere

The homemade preserves - blackened honey, berry compote and macerated figs

As many of my Twitter followers know, I am very particular when it comes to how I like my pasta and I almost never order pasta in a restaurant. I am picky for many reasons but I won’t get into that here. What I would like to say is, in all the years dining in Toronto. This is the very first pasta I have ordered and more importantly one of the only ones I would recommend to someone.  The bison bolognese pappardelle with buffalo milk ricotta was in one word…fantastic.

Bison bolognese pappardelle with buffalo milk ricotta

The flavour of the ground bison and the sauce with the fresh pasta cooked perfectly al dente made this dish a winner. If I ever crave pasta, I know where to go, Briscola. The only other times that I’ve ever been blown away by a pasta dish was in Italy. If I had to be critical, I would have liked the sauce to have a little more heat (spice). 

Just a few shots from the evening before we get to the main course.....

Chef Sean Reeve preping for a busy night at Briscola

Beautiful, stylish and elegant the decor of Briscola is a fusion of bistro and lounge.

Table settings ready for guests and some great food

Looking out to the front, the bar and some really nice decor define Briscola

Onto the entrée – the 12 oz centre cut veal chop. Although I asked for the meat to be cooked medium rare, Chef Reeve insisted I try it medium as it would enhance the overall flavour – and I’m glad I listened because it tasted divine. The frenched veal chop is cooked wonderfully, tender, succulent and well seasoned. The marinated shitake mushrooms and mizuna in the rosemary balsamic reduction was extremely tasty. 

Note: I must come back for a visit as I have heard that the braised beef ribs are just as magnificently cooked, fall off the bone tender and full of flavour.  

12 oz. Veal Chop cooked to perfection, well seasoned and delicious

Although we were getting quite full, Katie highly recommended that we must try dessert. So we looked at the small yet confident choices laid out to tempt our sweet tooth. We chose the panettone bread pudding and salted caramel chocolate tart. Admittedly, I was a bit hesitant to try the panettone as I read online that someone had said that, “it was dense and uninspired.” I beg to differ! 

Briscola's Panettone Bread Pudding is a must have!

Between the two desserts the panettone is a must have! It was served with dates, pistachio and a vanilla gelato. The bread pudding was luxurious and the fruit accompanying the pudding helped to cleanse the palate and added the perfect amount of acidity to counter the creaminess of the butterscotch sauce.  Divine!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart - Rich, Chocolatey and Dense!

The salted caramel chocolate tart was nice, but it’s a dessert best shared between two people as it was very rich. It was the complete opposite of the panettone, which was light, fluffy and not too sweet. The tart was dense, rich and after a few bites a tad too sweet. 

 

After dinner and walking off our delicious meal, I took the time to really reflect on the meal. Looking at the dishes as a whole, I smiled and said “yes!” what a great meal. The music, the ambience, the service and most importantly the food combined to make this a really enjoyable evening. I would recommend making reservations as it does get busy – especially on the weekend.

Briscola Restaurant
501 College Street

Toronto, ON

www.Briscola.ca

Twitter @BriscolaToronto

Fishbar is a great addition to the Ossington restaurant scene - Don't miss out!

I’d like to start off by emphasizing that I am very picky - picky about fish. However, thanks to a recent trip to Venice and the Mediterranean, I now appreciate foods that I despised as a child, and fish (of all kinds) was one of those foods. I might even go as far as to say there are times I crave fish.

The key to my change of heart towards fish is that it needs to excite, be colourful, fresh and simply cooked. It also doesn’t hurt to know where the fish is sourced and how it was harvested.

Getting on my proverbial soapbox…I’d like to state that it is very important to me that we don’t over harvest our oceans and we treat our oceans with common sense and our future in mind. Now stepping off my soapbox….on to Fishbar Restaurant.

Fishbar’s menu is filled with fresh, simple and tasty dishes. I encourage anyone that visits to explore their tapas styled menu and daily selection of oysters.

Fishbar is a beautiful styled restaurant with design elements that range from traditional to unique. The front of house setting is unfussy and very functional.

To start off our meal, we ordered oysters - they come shucked on top of a bed of seaweed and ice. The homemade accompaniments such as the cocktail, ponzu and hot pepper were delish and the fresh grated horseradish is a must. I just wished there was more horseradish.

With the help of our waiter, we chose the following oysters from their daily selection: Merigomish and Raspberry Pointe. The oysters were fresh and I could taste the distinct flavours of each oyster. We were tempted to order more, but knew we had to make room for the other dishes.

Next to arrive at our table was the white anchovy and the codfish brandade. The white anchovy with olive gremolata, caramelized onions on sourdough crostini was the highlight of the meal. The anchovies on top of crisp thin crostini pleased the palette, and the sweetness of the caramelized onions and the saltiness of the gremolata added depth and delicious flavour. 

I developed a slight addiction to codfish brandade during my visit to Venice – they call it Baccalà in Venice. I was never fond of the smell of salted cod - I find the smell too pungent. But, through the magic of cooking, codfish can be transformed into something that is utterly delicious. At Fishbar, the brandade is light, creamy and a joy to eat. The cod is mashed and combined with potato, and I believe I tasted a hint of truffle oil.  The crostini that accompanied the dish allowed me pile on the delicious brandade. If I had one complaint, I would have liked to taste a bit more codfish in the mixture. 

 

We decided to try the oyster pogo corn dog served with tomatillo salsa as it is not something you see on the menu every day. It was a playful dish that was fun to eat. However, it was my least favourite dish of the evening. I couldn’t tell if inside texture was supposed to be runny, if the dish was undercooked or if it was meant to be that way. To me, it seemed as though the oil may have been too hot, browning the outside too quickly and leaving the inside a touch under-cooked. Either way, I would not order this dish again.

After the oyster pogo, our grilled calamari and beer battered fish & chips arrive. The grilled calamari was delicious. It is cooked with tomato, capers, nicoise olives and a balsamic reduction - just the way I would cook it myself. I’ll be back for this again soon!

Even though I’ve never been a fan of fish, I’ve always made an exception...I love a really good fish and chips. I’ve tried fish and chips in the UK, Canada, USA – pretty much everywhere. At Fishbar, the beer battered haddock and hand cut fries are delicious. The portion is good, the coating is crisp and well seasoned, the fish moist and the chips are very good. Their homemade tartar sauce accompanied the fish very well. The tartar sauce is not as tart and vinegary as some I have tasted, and it does not distract from the main star of the dish, the fish.

By this time, we were pretty full but the waitress encouraged us to try the dessert. We ordered their selection of homemade ice creams which included chocolate, honey and goat cheese. We started eating the flavours individually, but the waitress quickly instructed us to eat all three flavours at the same time. Even though the ice cream tasted good individually, mixing the three together was magical. Who could have imagined? It was delicious and I would highly recommend trying.

Fishbar is part of a new breed of restaurant in Toronto - they are extremely connected to their customers.  With constant communication via Twitter and other social media outlets, they really set themselves apart with how they communicate with their patrons and people like me who are always looking for something new to try.  We really enjoyed our meal at Fishbar, and I am certain that for all you seafood lovers or those just looking for a new food experience, Fishbar does not disappoint.

Also, the servers at Fishbar were friendly and helpful. Cheers for that!

Fishbar

217 Ossington Avenue

Toronto, ON M6J 2Z7

647-340-0227

Tuesday to Sunday

6pm to 11pm

www.fishbar.ca

@_fishbar on Twitter